Inlet airflow guiding structure for computers

ABSTRACT

An inlet airflow guiding structure for a computer includes a computer chassis, a front bezel, an airflow guiding space defined between the front bezel and the computer chassis, and a plurality of inlet airflow openings. The airflow guiding space and the inlet airflow openings provide a low airflow impedance inlet that facilitates the movement of the incoming inlet airflow. The front cooling fan in the computer is thereby capable of providing lower-temperature air into computer for efficiently dissipating heat generated for high-speed CPU.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to an inlet airflow guidingstructure for computers, and more particularly, to an inlet airflowguiding structure utilized in a computer that complies with the BalancedTechnology Extended (BTX) Interface Specification suggested by the IntelCorporation, and capable of rapidly introducing external cool air intocomputer to provide efficiently heat dissipating.

Various electrical instruments, especially the desktop computers, arecrowded with different electrical components and peripheral devices,such as the Central Processing Unit (CPU), the interface card, the harddisk, the disk burner, and the power supply. Those electrical componentsand peripheral devices each generate different levels of heat duringtheir respective operations. The CPU because of its high processingspeed, in particular, generates a large amount of heat. Nonetheless, thecomputer case of the average desktop computer is closed. Accordingly,the inner temperature of a desktop computer is very high. Therefore, oneor more heat dissipation modules are installed inside the computerchassis to remove the heat generated by the electrical components andperipheral devices. The removal of this generated heat helps to ensurethat the inside of the computer case maintains a moderate operatingtemperature.

Conventional heat dissipation system for desktop computers nowadays hasa circular opening bored in its rear plate and a corresponding coolingfan installed in that circular opening. Further, some heat dissipatingmodules are comprised of modules that have a heat dissipating fin andcooling fan assembled onto a high temperature electrical component. Thisconventional heat dissipation system is barely able to complete itswork. Heat dissipation is also hindered in the conventional arts becausethe exhaust airflow is hindered by internal electrical components. Theinner airflows created by the conventional heat dissipating systeminterfere with each other. This happens when some of the heated air isre-circulated into the cooling fan which is assembled on an electricalcomponent. Some heated air re-circulates into the cooling fan assembledon an electrical component, and therefore reduces the heat transfercapability of the heat dissipating module. Furthermore, the electricalcomponents and peripheral devices will continue to evolve and newcomponents will need to be integrated with the desktop computer. Thecurrent heat dissipation system is unable to satisfy the future demandof a new generation of computer systems.

Moreover, according to the modern computer system, the large amount ofheat generated from CPU because of the higher speed is still an unsolvedproblem in heat dissipating area.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an inlet airflow guiding structure forcomputers so as to solve heat dissipating problem of high-speed CPU inmodern computer system.

Accordingly, the inlet airflow guiding structure of the presentinvention including an airflow guiding space defined between the frontbezel and the computer chassis, and a plurality of inlet airflowopenings can provide a low airflow impedance inlet that facilitates themovement of the incoming inlet airflow. Therefore, as the computer usesa front-to-back airflow disposition which has a front cooling faninstalled at the front panel of the computer chassis, the front coolingfan is capable of providing lower-temperature air into computer forefficiently dissipating heat generated for high-speed CPU. Furthermore,it is unnecessary to bore a large diameter airflow opening on the frontbezel, which would spoil the attractive appearance of a computer.

These and other objectives of the present invention will become obviousto those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the followingdetailed description of preferred embodiments.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These as well as other features of the present invention will becomemore apparent upon reference to the drawings therein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionbefore installation.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the present invention afterinstallation.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention afterinstallation.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view from the top of the present inventionin FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the bottom of the present invention inFIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1 though 5, an inlet airflow guiding structure forcomputers according to one preferred embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated. The inlet airflow guiding structure 3 includes acomputer chassis 1, a front bezel 2 which connects to the computerchassis 1, an airflow guiding space 32, and a plurality of inlet airflowopenings 33, 34. The computer provides a front-to-back airflowdisposition by utilizing a front cooling fan 4 which is installed at thefront panel 11 of the computer chassis 1. This front-to-back airflowdisposition complies with the BTX specification suggested by the IntelCorporation.

The inlet airflow guiding structure of the present invention enables theexternal lower-temperature air to pass through the inlet airflowopenings 33, 34 into the airflow guiding space 32, and further be drawnby the cooling fan 4 into the computer chassis 1. The airflow guidingspace 32 and the inlet airflow openings 33, 34 provide a low airflowimpedance inlet, which facilitates the movement of the entering airflowstream, and thereby able to supply the desktop computer with an affluentairflow stream. The front cooling fan 4 is thereby capable of providingthe high power components of the computer motherboard withlower-temperature air at a high velocity. Further, it is unnecessary forthe present invention to bore a large diameter airflow opening on thefront bezel 2, which would spoil the attractive appearance of acomputer.

The computer chassis 1 has a large diameter opening 39 bored on thefront panel 11 thereof. The large diameter opening 39 corresponds withthe front cooling fan 4, and enables the cooling fan 4 to acquiresufficient lower-temperature air from the airflow guiding space 32 whichis defined between the front bezel 2 and the front panel 11 of thecomputer chassis 1.

The front panel 11 of the computer chassis 1 has a recess 30. The recess30 includes a bottom surface 37 and a plurality of sidewall surfaces 38.The angle between the bottom surface 37 and the sidewall surface 38 maybe an obtuse angle, a right angle, or an acute angle. The inlet airflowopenings 33 are formed on the sidewall surfaces 38 of the front panel 11of the computer chassis 1. Furthermore, the front bezel 2 includes abody plate 311 and a plurality of side plates 312 to from a protrusion31. The side plates 312 respectively extend from the front bezel. Theinlet airflow opening 34 are formed on the side plates 312 of the frontbezel 2. After a cover casing is mounted to the computer chassis 1 asshown in FIGS. 3 and 5, another plurality of another plurality of inletairflow openings 35 are formed on the side plate thereof. Thesedisposition of the inlet airflow openings 33, 34, 35 provides thecooling fan 4 with multi directional input sources for a surroundingtype of inlet airflow. Therefore, via the first, the second and thethird inlet airflow opening 33, 34, 35 respectively formed on the frontplate 11 of the chassis 1, the front panel 2 and the cover casing, whenthe cooling fan 4 is operated, the cooling air outside the computer canbe efficiently drawn into the airflow guiding space 32 to be used todissipate heat generate from CPU of the computer.

While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of theinvention has been described in detail herein, it is to be understoodthat the inventive concepts may be otherwise embodied and employed andthat the appended claims are intended to be construed to include suchvariations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

1. An inlet airflow guiding structure for a computer, comprising: acomputer chassis having a front plate; a recess formed in the frontplate; a front bezel connecting to the front plate so as to define anairflow guiding space between the front bezel and the computer chassis;and a plurality of inlet airflow openings formed on the recess whichallow external air to flow into the computer through the airflow guidingspace, wherein the recess includes a bottom surface and a plurality ofsidewall surfaces, and a first plurality of inlet airflow openings areformed on at least one of the sidewall surfaces.
 2. The structure ofclaim 1, wherein an angle between the bottom surface and the sidewallsurface is an obtuse angle, a right angle, or an acute angle.
 3. Thestructure of claim 1, further comprising a cover casing mounted on thecomputer chassis.
 4. The structure of claim 3, wherein a secondplurality of inlet airflow openings are formed on a front end of thecover casing.
 5. An inlet airflow guiding structure for a computer,comprising: a chassis of the computer, having a front plate; a faninstalled on the front plate; a front bezel connecting to the computerchassis; and an airflow guiding space defined between the front bezeland the chassis, wherein the airflow guiding space includes a recessformed on the front plate, and wherein the recess includes a bottomsurface and a plurality of sidewall surfaces, and a plurality of firstinlet airflow openings which allow external air to flow into thecomputer through the airflow guiding space are formed on the sidewallsurfaces.
 6. The structure of claim 5, wherein an angle between thebottom surface and the sidewall surface is an obtuse angle, a rightangle, or an acute angle.
 7. The structure of claim 5, furthercomprising a cover casing mounted on the computer chassis.
 8. Thestructure of claim 7, wherein a third plurality of inlet airflowopenings are formed on a front end of the cover casing.